Chances are, you wouldn’t be on this website if you didn’t love gadgets. And one thing that gadget-lovers seem to go especially ga-ga over are multitools, like the Leatherman or the Swiss Army Knife - there’s something very appealing about the idea of one little object that can do all sorts of useful things. Well, for all of those situations where bringing along your pocket-knife-on-steroids might seem like overkill, there’s a new product that can easily clip onto your pocket protector: the 13 Function in 1 Pen.

In its “stealth mode” this product just looks like a longish steel-bodied ballpoint pen. Unscrew the barrel connectors in the middle, however, and a treasure trove of itty-bitty tool ends reveal themselves. Here’s what’s included:

writing pen, surprisingly enough

hole punch

short cutting blade

long cutting blade

wire sleeve remover/small nail remover

Phillips screwdriver

flat screwdriver

saw blade

file blade

tweezer

fork

and... an ear pick

Yeah, an ear pick. Apparently, not everyone agrees with the notion that you should never stick things up your ears... or that gadgets shouldn’t have disgusting tools built into them.

So, do these attachments actually work? According to one review (see below), most of them do, although the saw blade is too flexible to be of much use. Of course with a gizmo like this, you’re going to be using it more for drawing oohs and ahhs at show-and-tell, than for its actual “intended” purpose.

An experienced freelance writer, videographer and television producer, Ben's interest in all forms of innovation is particularly fanatical when it comes to human-powered transportation, film-making gear, environmentally-friendly technologies and anything that's designed to go underwater. He lives in Edmonton, Alberta, where he spends a lot of time going over the handlebars of his mountain bike, hanging out in off-leash parks, and wishing the Pacific Ocean wasn't so far away. All articles by Ben CoxworthFollow @bencoxworth

I've had one of these years ago and it is such a *PAIN IN THE BUTT* to use! You open the thing up to get one of the functional pieces out to use and they all spill out. The blades all will snap if you extend them too far, the saws will adequately chop a toothpick in half, and the pointy-jabby things are good for...pointing and jabbing, but that's about it! And ear pick? Uh...ok, there goes your ear-drum! Oh well, I hadn't had any hearing in that ear since the 1978 Pink Floyd concert!